Method of making fan with slinger ring



Aug. 24, 1965 s. w. KLONOSKI METHOD OF MAKING FAN WITH SLINGER RING Filed March 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY W Aug. 24, 1965 s. w. KLONOSKI 3,201,857

METHOD OF MAKING FAN WITH SLINGER RING Filed March 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,261,857 METH'IBD 0F MAKING FAN WITH SLINGER RING Stephen W. Klonoski, Torrington, Conan, assignor to The Torrington Manufacturing fiornpany, Torringten, Conm, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 267,857 7 Claims. (Cl. 29-4568) This invention relates to air moving fans and, more particularly, to air moving fans having attached slinger rings adapted to raise water upwardly from a sump or the like by capillary action for entrainment in an air stream generated by the fan. This application is a continuationin-part of my Patent No. 3,111,173, issued November 19, 1963, on Fan With Slinger Ring.

The invention has for its general object the provision of an improved method for making a fan and slinger ring from a single sheet metal blank whereby to achieve a substantial economic advantage.

The drawings show several embodiments of the method of the invention and such embodiments will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the methods disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fan with an attached slinger ring made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the fan and slinger ring of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a single sheet metal blank from which the fan and slinger ring of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be formed.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view showing a portion of the slinger ring of FIG. 1 and an outer edge portion of one blade of the fan of FIG. 1, the fan and slinger ring being in detached positions.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the parts in connected positions.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a method forming a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 5, but referring to the method of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary front view similar to FIG. 7 but illustrating a method forming a third embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the present invention and in fulfillment of the above-mentioned object thereof, a fan and a slinger ring therefor are formed separately but from a single sheet metal blank. The fan is adapted for rotation about a central axis and comprises a plurality of similar circumaxially spaced generally radial blades which are arranged at similar pitch angles. The slinger ring is adapted to extend around the fan adjacent the outer edge portions of the fan blades. The fan is formed from a central portion of the sheet metal blank and the slinger ring is formed separately from an annular portion of the blank around said central portion. In forming the fan and slinger ring, provision is made for the connection of the ring to and around the fan without the use of separate connecting means. Thus, substantial savings in material and overall production costs are realized.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that a fan indicated generally at 10 includes a hub 11, a central hub section 12 and integral blades 14, 14. Four blades 14, 14 are shown and they extend generally radially from the hub section 12 for rotation about a central hub axis 16. The blades are equally spaced circumaxially and are arranged at similar pitch angles for their air moving function as best shown in FIG. 2. A strengthening rib 17 is preferably formed for each blade 14 and extends generally radially from and on the central hub section 12 outwardly on and throughout a portion of the radial dimension of the blade.

A slinger ring indicated generally at 18 comprises a body portion 20 and an annular radially inwardly projecting flange 22. A plurality of tabs 24, 24 are formed on the flange 22 and project radially inwardly therefrom. Four tabs 24, 24 are provided when the fan has four blades as shown and said tabs are equally spaced circumaxially around the flange 22.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the slinger ring 18 is shown detachably connected to the fan 10 and, more specifically, said ring is detachably connected to the outer edge portion of each blade 14 of the fan and the ring extends around said outer edge portions of the blades. The means by which the fan and slinger ring are detachably connected together in the FIGS. 1 and 2 embodiment of the invention includes interengaging or interlocking notches and, more specifically, said means includes interengaging or interlocking edges or walls of such notches. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the fan blades 14, 14 has a notch 26 formed in its outer edge portion. Each of the notches 26, 26 opens outwardly and the several notches 26, 26 are arranged in an annular series in a common radial plane as best illustrated in FIG. 2. The base portion of the edge 28 of each notch 26 provides a generally radially outwardly facing surface which is engageable with a generally radially inwardly facing surface on the slinger ring 18 to connect the said ring to the fan 10. The said generally radially inwardly facing surface may comprise an inner edge on the slinger ring such as an inner edge of a tab 24 but in the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, said surface constitutes the base portion of an edge 30 of a notch 32 in the tab 24. That is, each of the tabs 24 has an inwardly open notch 32 formed therein with an edge 30 and the base portions of said notch edges respectively engage the base portions of the edges 28, 28 of the notches 26, 26 when the fan and slinger ring are detachably connected together.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, the diameter of the inner edges of the tabs 24, 24 is somewhat less than the peripheral diameter of the fan blades 14, 14. That is, the outer edges of the fan blades 14, 14 project outwardly beyond the inner edges of the tabs 24, 24 when the fan and slinger ring are connected together. The depths of the notches 26, 26 and the notches 32, 32 are such that the base portions of their respective edges 30, 30 and 28, 28 firmly engage each other in an interference fit when the fan and slinger ring are so connected. To effect this notch-tonotch connection of the fan with the slinger ring, the fan blades 14, 14 are flexed to reduce their peripheral diameter and are thereafter released when the fan and slinger ring have been moved relatively so that the blade and tab notches are in registry with each other. Thereafter, the side portions of the notch edges 28, 28 and the notch edges 30, 30 prevent relative rotation between the fan 10 and the slinger ring 18 and they also prevent relative axial movement between said elements.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the selective connection of the slinger ring 18 with the fan 10 at axially spaced positions may be readily provided for. The outer edge portions of the fan blades 14, 14 each lie in a common imaginary cylinder having its center line coincident with the axis 16 of the fan as best shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the said edge portions are equidistant from the axis 16 and the slinger ring may be readily attached thereto at selected axially spaced positions merely by providing appropriate additional blade notches similar to the notches 26, 26 but spaced axially from said notches. Although only one set of blade notches 26,

1 26 are shown, it is within the scope of the invention to provide several sets or'annular series of such blade notches 26, 26 permitting the slinger ring 18 .to be attached to the fan It) at selected axially spaced positions,

In FIG. 3 there is shown a single sheet metal' blank from which -the fan and slinger'ringof FIGS. land 2 'rnay be'for m'ed in carrying ou't the method of the present .7 On assembly of the tan and slinger ring as described above,.the strip 36 is disposed between the'notch edges as illustrated in FIG. 7and metal-to-metal contact is avoided fwhereby to reduce it not eliminate noise and 'wear under even the most severe operating conditions.

In accordanceflwith still another alternative embodimentof the method of the invention an additional method invention. The fan 10 may be formed' fr'om' a centralf,

portion ltl 'of'the blank and the slinger ring 18 maybe 'formed from an annular portion 18 of said blank around said central portion 10. 'The particular cuttingand -forming operations employed in carrying out the method of the present invention may be conventionalj and the said operations as well as the sequences in which they 'areperformed need not be described in detail herein It h ever, that the tabs 24, 24 on theflange 22 of the slingenriri'g are' or may; be formedf sections 24% 24% "in remainingparts 34, 34 of the blank disposed between parts 14*, 14 from which the blades'14, "14 are formed.

Thus, the aforementioneddesired frelationship of the and. serving to fix the connection asdes'crrbed in a comdiameters of the inner edges of the'tab's 24; 24 and the outer edges of the blades 14,":14 may be provided for.

That is, the tabs124, 24 may be formed so'as to project radially: inwardly beyond the outer edges of the blades 14, "14 when-the fan and slinger ring areass'emble'd and'con- "nected together, r

After the blank of assembly procedure, the'f an and the slinger ring may be FIG. 3 hasbeenieut and formed 1 as required to separately provide the fan and slinger ring "of FIGS, land the saidtwo'elernents may be detach-. "ably' connected together bylflexing the blades. toreduce their peripheral diameter as described above; one

step includes the provision of a means securing the adjacent metallic portions in a notch-to-notch connection in "fixed relationship, The said means may take the form of a material having fluid and solid states and, as presently preferred, a' plastic material may be employed. Application of the material to the notch-to-notch connection is of co urse accomplished with the material in'a fluid state and may be accomplished before or after assembly of the fan and slinger rin g the' latter being presently preferred.

. Thereafter the material is conditioned, as for example by The invention claimed is:

=1. Ay-metho'd forfm a'king :a

mere air-curing in-the case of aplastic, to bring it to its solid (at least semi-rigidfstate and it serves to secure the adjacent metallic portions in'fixed relationship with reispect to each other and to thereby prevent noise andwear. Referring particularly to FIG. 8rthe materialsreferred to is designated at 38 and will be seen tor substantially cover and envelop the notchato-notch connection shown.

The materialmay be regardedasbeing in'its solidfstate pleted fan and slinger ring'assernbly.. t

v 'f anlancl attached slinger ring comprising-the steps of providing a single sheet metal blank, cuttingand forming a central portion of said 5 blanktoprovide a-fan having acentral' hub section and a pluralityfof integral 'circumaxially spaced generally radial fan blades which are arranged at similar; pitch angles and which have'notchesin'theirouter. edge portions which notches are arranged. in an annular series appr'oxi:

slinger ring is disposed ar ound thefan with the fan blades 14, 14 disposed between the tabs. 24, 24; Thereafter, the fan-and the slingerv ring may be rotated with respect to each other to engage-the outer edge portions: V of the fan b1ades'14,14 with' the tabs 24,24f'arid to bend which projectiinwardly"beyond the outer edges of said or flex th e'blades'whereby to reduce their peripheral diameter permitting the" snap engagement ofthe blade notches V r with thetabnotches. In 'an alternative' assembly 'proc-e ',dure, the fan blades 14, 4mm; be flexed simultaneously toreduce their peripheral diameterwiththeslinger ring 7 V 'and'fan' held apart.- Thereafter the slinger ringniay 'be 1 'moved axially" to a position aroundthe fan wherein thev tab notches 32, 32 are in registry with the blade notches 5 tring'as'set forth inclain'r 1 wherein theslingerring is 5 ininterengagement of thetab and blade notches with a mately in 'a commonradialiplane; cutting and forming a generallyannular portion 'of said'blank around saidcentral portionto'provide, a 'slinger-ringlhavin'g a body and a .40

plurality of integral circumaxia'llyspaced generally/radial tabs which. are formedof remaining parts of the blank disposedfbetweenthe openings left by the fan blades and openings sa es to have an inner edge diameter smaller than the peripheral diameterof the fan blades, provi ding sconnect -said slinge'r; ring to; and around said blades.

2. Themethjo'd for making a fanwith attached slinger Q :tdrmed with an: integral annular flange {which projects snap movement and. willieffect the 'desired connection of theslinger ring with the fan.

' A fan and slinger'pr vided in the practicev of the aforedescribed -rr'1ethod is desirably' sirnple f and 'durablein construction and proyidesla significant economic ,advan-. tagein manufacture. Themajority of operating; condi-Y tio'ns are'servedwell by such afan'but for} very severe conditions '-of operation it may be desirable 'to provide means for avoiding noise and wear which,r nay result Q 1 'jring'. as. set forthlin'clairn 2 wherein thestep of detachradially'inwardly and'wherein said radialtabs areformed on saidflang'e-an'd' project radially. inwardly therefrom.

. 3. The' -rnethod'for 'rnaking a fan .with' attached slinger I ably connecting the "slinger ring to and aroundthe fan 'of:the .rin'g and fan blades to engage the outer edgesof .thei'blades with the'tabs and to therebyfiexthe same and Tfrom relative movement between engaging :rnetallicpor tions' of thelfan blades and the slinger ring 'at the notchto-notch connections. Ina first alternative embodiment of the method this is accomplished in anJadditional' method-"step .wherein small-"non-rn'etallic. elements-are 7 provided H in each notch-to-notch connection-between otherwise: engaging metallic portions. Thusga smalljnom jmetal'lic strip; of a material sueli as Teflon maybe-folded over a notch edge as illustrated'atfifi in F1616." "This; 7 "may'beaccornplished with'r espect to either'theblade o r 'tab notch'es 26, 32 before' 'assembly of the fan and slinger *ringas indicated in FIG.-; 6;? f Alsuitabl-e adhesive-may of 2' a course be employed tofsec'ure theistrip in place; f j

'bladesl is carried dutby first movingthetan blades axially to a" position within theislinger ring andibetween the radial tabs thereon'andby thereafter effecting relative rotation "reducetlieirperipheral diametersto interengage the tab and'lblade lnot'ches with a snaplm'ovement; i

" 4. The method for making a v V fan with attached slinger ring as: set forth inlclairnil and including the additional step of providing a means". in each" notch-to-notchf con 1 fne'ctionzfor preventing noiseand' wear resulting from: relaincludes.the*provision'of a small non-inetallicelement V blades'ahd slinger-ring.

tive movement between eng aging' metallicportions of the The 'gniethodforfmakingafan witli attacjh'ed slinger ring as seti forthfiri' clairn-A wherein said additional step inleach notch-to-notch connection between otherwise en- ,jgaging; metallic portions of theblades and slinger-ring.

6. The method for making a fan with attached slinger ring as set forth in claim 4 wherein said additional step includes provision of a material having fluid and solid states and the application of such material to each notchto-n0tch connection in its former state and the subsequent conditioning of the same to bring it to its latter state wherein it secures adjacent metallic portions in the connection in fixed relationship to each other.

7. The method for making a fan with attached slinger ring as set forth in claim 4 wherein the material provided is of a non-metallic nature and wherein the application thereof to the notch-to-notch connections is accomplished subsequent to the assembly of the said connections.

References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,867 1/35 Walsh 170-168 2,853,140 9/58 Forth 170168 X 2,948,055 8/60 Baxter et al 29-15901 WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD FOR MAKING A FAN AND ATTACHED SLINGER RING COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A SINGLE SHEET METAL BLANK, CUTTING AND FORMING A CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID BLANK TO PROVIDE A FAN HAVING A CENTRAL HUB SECTION AND A PLURALITY OF INTEGRAL CIRCUMAXIALLY SPACED GENERALLY RADIAL FAN BLADES WHICH ARE ARRANGED AT SIMILAR PITCH ANGLES AND WHICH HAVE NOTCHES IN THEIR OUTER EDGE PORTIONS WHICH NOTCHES ARE ARRANGED IN AN ANNULAR SERIES APPROXIMATELY IN A COMMON RADIAL PLANE, CUTTING AND FORMING A GENERALLY ANNULAR PORTION OF SAID BLANK AROUND SAID CENTRAL POSITION TO PROVIDE A SLINGER RING HAVING A BODY AND A PLURALITY OF INTEGRAL CIRCUMAXIALLY SPACED GENERALLY RADIAL TABS WHICH ARE FORMED OF REMAINING PARTS OF THE BLANK DISPOSED BETWEEN THE OPENINGS LEFT BY THE FAN BLADES AND WHICH PROJECT INWARDLY BEYOND THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID OPENINGS SO AS TO HAVE AN INNER EDGE DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE PERIPHERAL DIAMETER OF THE FAN BLADES, PROVIDING INWARDLY OPEN NOTCHES IN SAID TABS AND FLEXING THE FAN BLADES TO REDUCE THEIR SAID PERIPHERAL DIAMETER WHEREBY TO INTERENGATE SAID BLADE AND TAB NOTCHES AND THEREBY CONNECT SAID SLINGER RING TO AND AROUND SAID BLADES. 